CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Philadelphia coach Brett Brown called Cavaliers rookie Matthew Dellavedova a Neanderthal. He meant it as a compliment.

Brown coached Dellavedova, nicknamed Delly, with the Australian national team. One of the toughest moves he ever had to make was cutting Dellavedova from the national team before the world championships in 2010. The move fueled the young point guard to improve so much that he was the starting point guard for the Australian team in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

"Look what he did,'' Brown said before Monday's game between the Sixers and Cavs at Value City Arena. "Not only did he come back, he came back and grabbed the starting point guard position and pushed Patty Mills to an Allen Iverson, 6-foot scorer type of role.

"Matt Dellavedova, when you start talking about the character and DNA of people, he ticks the right way. He’s a country Victorian, true Aussie that is a headbanger. He plays with reckless abandon. There’s a physicality to him and a toughness you fall in love with. He at times might not be pretty, he’s a little bit Neanderthal in how he goes about his business, but he’s for real. I loved coaching him and I’m so proud of the opportunity he’s taken advantage of with Jarrett Jack out. Matt Dellavedova is a winner.''

Dellavedova smiled when told that Brown was a big fan of his.

"I'm definitely a fan of his as well,'' the young guard said of the coach. "He's been great for my career. He's just a really good guy.''

Even after he cut you?

"It was a pretty tough day," Dellavedova admitted. "But as it was it made me go back and work hard.''

Dellavedova has another fan in Cavs coach Mike Brown, who more than likely will be keeping the point guard on the roster, even if he spends some time with the D-League affiliate in Canton. Heading into Wednesday night's game against the Washington Wizards at U.S. Bank Arena, the 6-4, 200-pound Dellavedova is averaging 4.3 points and 19 minutes in the six preseason games. He's shooting 32 percent (8-of-25) and has 23 assists and 12 turnovers in a larger role than expected since the veteran Jack is resting a sore left knee.

"He's played well for us,'' Mike Brown said. "He's tough. He's smart. He's a leader. He's done a nice job taking care of the basketball, especially for a rookie, because he kind of got thrown into the fire a little bit with Jarrett being out. He's played major minutes for us and he's done a nice job. … I can't ask for much more than that.''

Dellavedova even has played with All-Star Kyrie Irving, handling the point guard duties while Irving shifts to shooting guard.

"For the first time in my first three years I can actually play there comfortably now,'' Irving said after Monday's game. "I know all the positions on the floor, especially from the 2-spot. It allows me to not exert so much energy dribbling the ball, especially at the top of the key. I get to come off some screens. It’s something we go through every day in practice. Me being at the 2-spot just opens up the lane for our bigs and our shooters in the corner.''

Dellavedova finished with a preseason-high nine points and three assists on Monday. If he was trying to impress Brett Brown again, there was no need. Asked if he thought the St. Mary's product belongs in the NBA, Brown was emphatic.

Yes I do,'' he said. "You can see how he flies under the radar and nobody really drafted him because he’s not glamorous, he’s not pretty. But he’s effective and a helluva teammate. I most definitely feel like there’s a place for him in the NBA. I think the league will recognize that and the fans of Cleveland will see that as well.''

The last word: From Anderson Varejao, asked his reaction to the news that his best friend, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, will have his No. 11 retired on March 8, "It’s ridiculous. I can’t believe it. What did he do?'' Varejao said, laughing. "No, he deserves it. He was great to Cleveland, Cleveland was great to him. What he did in Cleveland, playing here for [12] years, was unbelievable. The person he is, too. He took care of me, he was my mentor. He was great to me, both in basketball and off the floor. He deserves it. I’m very happy for him and his family.”

Cavaliers vs. Wizards

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Wednesday at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100

Notable: First night of back-to-back for Cavs, 4-2, who will finish out preseason on Thursday at Charlotte. … Rookie Sergey Karasev sprained his left ankle at Columbus on Monday and is listed as day-to-day. … Coach Mike Brown continues to rest players who aren't injured in order to get a look at different combinations. … Andrew Bynum (knees), Carrick Felix (sports hernia), Jarrett Jack (left knee) and Tyler Zeller (appendectomy) are out. … Wizards will be playing the second night of back-to-back after Tuesday's game at Detroit. They were 1-4 going into that game. Emeka Okafor (herniated disc in neck), Otto Porter (right hip flexor) and Chris Singleton (left foot) are out.

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